Hyderabad: As always, it starts with parents. Said the Traffic DCP of Hyderabad, “Parents should ensure that their kids are safe in the pillion seat and wear protective gear.”
Road safety experts note that the pillion rider is at a greater risk of suffering serious head injuries in case of a road accident.
“A helmet is absolutely necessary for a pillion rider while on the road. The accidents, minor, major or freak ones, cannot be anticipated. The pillion rider’s life is equally in danger in case of an accident,” said M. Vinod Kanumula, chief functionary of the Indian Federation of Road Safety.
The Traffic officials of Hyderabad and Cyberabad police have not yet enforced the helmet rule for pillion riders, which is already being implemented in Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.
“We are focusing on implementing the rule on to the riders first. It’s necessary to stabilise the enforcement process by taking gradual steps,” said the joint commissioner of Hyderabad traffic, V. Ravinder.
However, there has been a significant change in the number of bikers wearing helmet after the penalty system kicked into implementation mode last year.
“The penalty system has forced the city bikers to wear the headgear but we hope the police authorities will make a rule for the pillion riders and make them follow it as well,” added Mr Vinod Kanumula.
